We realize you have already been here a week, and some of you may already feel like you have been here longer. But nevertheless, The Guilfordian welcomes the Class of 2005 and all transfer students into the community.

To the three students living in the third-floor Binford study lounge: we send our condolences.

The first-year at college can be an exciting one, as your newfound freedom reveals to you an abundance of opportunities. We hope you will invest some of your new free time in becoming active in the community.

Guilford College benefits from a tradition of student involvement, both here on campus and in the city of Greensboro.
All college committees include student representatives. Students even attend the college’s Board of Trustees meetings when the board convenes every few months. Perhaps after you have been here a semester or two, you might serve on a committee that correlates with your interests.

Our students are also very active in community service.
Guilford volunteers tallied over 40,000 hours of service in the 1999-2000 academic year. Project Community, a student-run office in the basement of Founders coordinates regular volunteer opportunities for our student body. If you are interested in volunteering, stop in to see them during the week and mark your calendar for the Volunteer Fair on September 5 in Boren Lounge.

Another great way to get involved in the community while learning something about the college is to write for The Guilfordian. Our staff meetings take place Mondays at 7:30 p.m. in the Passion Pit on the second floor of Founders.

We encourage you to attend our meetings even if you are uncertain about contributing to our paper. The meetings are a great way to learn what is happening on campus, and you just might be inspired to write about something. We are also looking for people to take photos or assist with layout

If you are not so keen on working for the paper but still have an interest in student affairs, you should check out Community Senate. They meet Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in Boren Lounge on the first floor of Founders. All students, not just Senators, are welcome to attend and the organization might benefit from your fresh ideas and perspectives.
Obviously, there are more clubs and organizations on campus than we could ever cover in an editorial. However, we hope that from the examples above you can begin to comprehend the many ways in which students contribute to this campus and the surrounding community.

As you go through the next few weeks, look for flyers and announcements about the different groups on campus in which you can become involved. Joining one or more of these organizations will not only give you something to do, it will also help you to feel like you are an integrated member of your new community.